CLIMATE CHANGE: Researchers make link to wild weather events

Six out of 12 of the wildest weather events last year were linked to climate change in a study byÂ U.S. and British researchers.

In this 2012 file photo, destroyed and damaged homes are left in the wake of Superstorm Sandy in Ortley Beach, N.J.AP PHOTO

Among the extreme incidents attributed to human-caused climate change: Superstorm Sandy flooding, U.S. heat waves in July, shrinking Arctic sea ice, drought in Europe's Iberian peninsula, and extreme rainfall in Australia and New Zealand,Â according to a report issued Thursday, Sept. 5, by theÂ National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the British meteorological office.

The scientists conducted thousands of runs of different computer simulations that looked at various factors, such as moisture in the air, atmospheric flow, and sea temperature and level.

The approach represents an evolution in the field. Scientists used to say that individual weather events â€” a specific hurricane or flood, for example â€” cannot be attributed to climate change. But recently, researchers have used computer simulations to look at extreme events in a more nuanced way and measure the influence of climate change on their likelihood and magnitude.

The 78 international researchers, however, found no global warming connection for the U.S. drought, Europe's summer extremes, a cold spell in the Netherlands, drought in eastern Kenya and Somalia, floods in northern China and heavy rain in southwestern Japan.

That doesn't mean that there weren't climate change factors involved, just that researchers couldn't find or prove them, said the authors of the 84-page study, published in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society

All 12 events â€” chosen in part because of their location and the effect they had on society â€” would have happened anyway, but their magnitude and likelihood were boosted in some cases by global warming, the researchers said.

Join the conversation

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to allow Freedom Communications, Inc. the right to republish your name and comment in additional Freedom publications without any notification or payment.